Roma maintain fitness during international break with training at Trigoria

Manu Koné has not been called up by France. Coach Zinedine Zidane left the Roma midfielder out of his squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Italy and Turkey. The decision is linked to the fitness of the Roma player, who is still recovering from a muscle injury picked up against Real Madrid. Koné had hoped to return to action tomorrow against Sassuolo, which would also have shown he was ready to answer the call from the Bleus. Roma, however, have consistently preferred caution and have not sought to rush back one of the most important players in the squad. With the non-selection, the question of international commitments no longer applies. The absence from Zidane's squad allows Roma to manage his recovery without the pressure of international duty, with the break potentially used to bring Koné back to full condition. Koné has only partially resumed training with the group, and his availability for Sassuolo remains in serious doubt. Gasperini and the medical staff will assess until the last moment whether to include him in the matchday squad, but another setback remains a real possibility. The goal is to have Koné at one hundred per cent when the league resumes, when Roma face Parma and Paris Saint-Germain.

France coach Zinedine Zidane has left Roma midfielder Manu Koné out of the squad for France's upcoming Nations League fixtures against Italy and Turkey, with the injury keeping him out of action confirmed as the reason. Koné has been sidelined by a physical problem that has kept him away from the pitch, and his absence from the French list makes clear he will not take part in the Bleus' next matches. Roma continue to monitor the condition of the 26-year-old, who is still working his way back from the injury that forced him to miss their most recent fixtures. The France midfielder is an important piece in the plans of Gian Piero Gasperini, who hopes to have him back available soon. His condition had already made a possible call-up uncertain, and the French federation's decision confirms that he will not feature in those international games, allowing him to continue his recovery without the commitments planned for the break. The news came on the eve of Roma's Serie A fixture against Sassuolo, with the international break bringing developments from the national-team front as well. For Koné, the omission means a period of uninterrupted rehabilitation at Trigoria while Roma prepare for their domestic programme.

Roma are set to face Sassuolo, with Rodrigo Mora expected to start from the first minute and Leonardo Balerdi included in the match-day selection, according to the probable line-ups published ahead of the fixture. Gian Piero Gasperini has the possible options for the clash with Sassuolo. The headline notes Gollini is in doubt, and Devis Vásquez is set to be in goal again, which the report presents as a probable change between the posts. The lineup report also touches on the wider context around the squad. Koné has been left out of the France squad by Zidane, and Roma's attack has been described as record-breaking, with Gasperini now able to surpass a record set by himself. Gasperini also commented after the defeat to Manchester, saying: "We dominated." Carrick returned to speak about the victory over Roma, saying: "The first half was not bad."

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.

AS Roma host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday 7 November at 20:45, closing a demanding run of fixtures before the international break. Sassuolo's head coach Alberto Aquilani, who came through Roma's youth sector and played in the first team before his sale to Liverpool in 2009, returns to the stadium as an opponent. Nemanja Matic, Sassuolo's key midfield figure, also returns to Rome. Paulo Dybala is struggling with a calf problem and is expected to miss the match. Sassuolo sit 17th in Serie A with 8 points from ten matchdays, after two wins, two draws and six defeats. Their defence is the worst in the league, with 26 goals conceded. They have lost four consecutive matches since a 1-1 draw with Milan: 4-2 at Frosinone, 2-0 against Como, 6-2 at home to Lazio and 4-2 against Fiorentina. Those four games produced 16 goals conceded, and Sassuolo have taken just one point from their last five. Their last win came on 13 September, a 3-2 victory over Juventus. The club has confirmed its confidence in Aquilani ahead of the Roma game, but another heavy defeat could prompt further reflection on his position. Roma, by contrast, arrive with 28 goals in their first ten matchdays, the best attack in Serie A. After the Fiorentina defeat, Aquilani did not hide his side's difficulties. He stressed their defensive fragility and the ease with which Sassuolo are giving away chances and goals. Matic remains central to his plans. After the win over Juventus, Aquilani called him a “top player”, pointing in particular to his experience and his ability to help the team in daily training. Matic has nine appearances and two assists in this Serie A season. After the draw with Bologna, Aquilani explained that he would not have taken Matic off unless the midfielder had asked to come off. The Serbian's return also revives memories of his only season at Roma, which ended in the Europa League final lost to Siviglia in Budapest. In that match, Matic became famous for telling Dybala, who was in tears after the penalty shootout defeat, “That’s football”. This time the two are not expected to meet on the pitch. Sassuolo still have attacking threats. Domenico Berardi remains their main creative and offensive reference, while Armand Laurienté provides pace and one-on-one ability on the opposite flank. The Frenchman scored a brace against Fiorentina, though it was not enough to save the result. Sebastiano Esposito competes with Kieron Bowie for the central striker’s role, and Kristian Thorstvedt returns to midfield after serving a suspension. Vasilije Adzic, Sassuolo's top scorer in the league with three goals, also knows how to decide matches, having been decisive in the win over Juventus. Roma have the better recent record. They have won the last four Serie A meetings with Sassuolo. Sassuolo's most recent victory over Roma came in a chaotic 4-3 win at the Olimpico in March 2023. Across 24 Serie A meetings, Roma have been unbeaten in 22, with 13 wins, nine draws and just two defeats. Aquilani is expected to stick with a 4-3-3, although doubts remain at the back, where he is still searching for the most reliable combination after the 16 goals conceded in the last four matchdays. Turati is in contention with Muric for the goalkeeper’s spot. Thorstvedt is set to return in midfield, with Matic in the deep playmaking role and Bakola completing the unit. Berardi and Laurienté are expected to start either side of Esposito in attack.

Radio pundits across Rome's stations have debated whether Manu Koné should be called up by France and whether Roma are over-reliant on Malen and Dybala ahead of the match against Sassuolo. Alessio Nardo of Tele Radio Stereo said: "If Koné, after missing several matches, answered France's call-up, it would annoy me. He is coming back after a long stop and it would not be ideal. Everyone looks after their own interests. Zidane could also consider him available, let's see what happens, but I hope not." He added that France have plenty of alternatives and that Koné, returning from a long injury, could be rested. The debate follows the defeat to Manchester, which David Rossi of Rete Sport called unjustified. He said: "I am surprised by the negativity that has been generated after the defeat at Manchester. It is unjustifiable; you lost to teams with greater resources than yours. Wouldn't you have signed up, at this point, to have lost only to Real and Manchester? We always lose sight of the bigger picture. Roma are a very strong side, built to earn more points than last year: the starting base is 73 points. For me this is an 80-point side, which certainly means Champions League again. Contrary to what some think, that is very important. It is unacceptable to hear that Roma must leave the Champions League." Rossi also noted that a draw between Inter and Como, combined with a Napoli win over Lazio, would make the round unfavourable if Roma failed to beat Sassuolo. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport said Roma must take advantage of their chances. He said: "If that defeat to Manchester had not come, with that dynamic and yet another comeback conceded, we would now be saying Roma started clear favourites against Sassuolo. The fear is that there are more psychological than physical after-effects. The same applies as after Real: one way or another, you have to bring it home. Tactically, it is better to face Sassuolo than Genoa, because putting up barricades is not in their DNA." Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said Roma need to bounce back immediately. He said: "Against Sassuolo you need to restart immediately after the disappointment of Manchester. Sassuolo have conceded 10 goals in their last two matches, Aquilani is in great difficulty, and his side does not have the strength to react. Roma must face the game in the best possible way, looking for satisfaction in attack. Malen also has the odd lapse, and I back Castro, but apart from that great goal he never plays. Maybe there is room for him too. I often refer to the transfer market: you have had only reserves, there is no first-choice player apart from De Roon." Nando Orsi of Radio Radio questioned the dependence on Malen and Dybala. He said: "If Malen is in a slump and Dybala does not play, what happens? Isn't Roma too dependent on those two? Malen was scoring a lot alongside Dybala, now he seems more in difficulty. You need alternatives, because if Malen does not score, you struggle. On Dybala, perhaps Gasperini's management was wrong, making him play ninety minutes every time to prove what..." Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Sassuolo are unpredictable and that Roma are not at their brightest. He said: "Sassuolo are a team on a rollercoaster and could wake up and become the side of three weeks ago. Roma are not going through one of their most brilliant moments; I have noticed glaring flaws. This is not the Roma of three weeks ago. Sassuolo's last outing did not leave them unscathed, but if they have recovered they can put Roma in difficulty. Roma can win, but not comfortably." On Dybala, Mattioli also questioned his diet, saying: "Are we sure he is not eating something that affects his muscle tissue? I did a lot of athletics and they even controlled your food." Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport said there was something about Koné's intentions that remained unclear, asking whether he wanted to play for France. He said: "I would not sincerely send him to risk it, also because France play two real matches, one against Italy. Koné knows he has strong competition in his role for his national team, but Roma pay the price. If he gets injured again, we are back to square one." Lorenzo Pes of Tele Radio Stereo said Koné is fit and that a call-up could be justified, while Roma would have the final say. He said Roma may prefer caution, in which case Koné would be unlikely to be called up. He added that Roma would like to keep him, while the player has recovered. Pes said the decisive day was expected to be the one that followed, and on Gollini: "It's unlikely he will be available tomorrow; he will try until the end, but until yesterday it was very complicated. So I think Vásquez will play, but I don't see that much difference." The pundits' comments centre on how Roma respond to the Manchester defeat and their Sassuolo fixture, with the Koné decision and Dybala's condition still being discussed.

Roma face another league fixture tomorrow evening, a win that could put them within one step of the top of Serie A depending on other results and would send the giallorossi into the international break with more confidence after their comeback in Manchester. Gasperini will have three key players fully available during the break: Svilar, Koné and Dybala. Pellegrini, however, will remain sidelined for a long period. In recent matches, the three-man combination of Malen, Soulé and Mora has produced positive results. Malen has continued to score regularly, Soulé has become increasingly central to the attacking build-up, and Mora has found his form, registering a goal or an assist in every recent match in which he has been actively involved. The real problem, however, is the lack of depth. Reserves are currently missing, partly through injury and partly through structural shortcomings that have been flagged repeatedly since late August. For this reason the club is actively searching for the right signings to give the coach in the transfer window, which in this case must also strengthen the attacking department. The situation resembles last year, when the primary aim was to find a couple of attacking players. Four arrived in the end: Malen, Venturino, Vaz and Zaragoza, with only one, the Dutchman, proving decisive. Gasperini is strongly focused on Endrick. The Brazilian was the chosen target last summer, but after a near move to Ciampino, Mourinho's ill-timed intervention stopped the deal. So far Endrick has performed well, and very well only at the end of the match against Roma, which is an irony of fate, but he continues to find limited playing time. He is left-footed, and combines excellent basic technique with accelerations that would be very useful to Roma even when a match is already underway. Imagine Endrick in place of Mora in the second half in Manchester. Maguire and his teammates would have had reservations about pushing forward, as happened especially after the cruel penalty awarded by Manzano. Endrick is part of Roma's plans and is the primary target, but it is not enough. Gasperini would like to complete the department with two players: the Brazilian plus another number ten, second striker or attacking player who is right-footed and physically well built. Gittens is mentioned, out of favour at Chelsea, and above all Kvernadze, who for his age and wage would fit perfectly into the sustainability path set at Trigoria in recent months. Numerically, Pellegrini's serious setback and the new problems for Dybala could push the club and coaching staff to reflect carefully on the squad numbers. Roma cannot realistically withstand the weekly double commitment with Malen (plus Castro), Mora, Soulé and then the adapted players. The overall picture of incomings could be completed by a midfielder with running and physical power, to cover Koné's physical difficulties and De Roon's age. A trio of signings could make Roma's squad resistant to injuries and able to cope with the demands of the Champions League, Serie A and the Coppa Italia, which returns in January.

Gian Piero Gasperini is set to start Matías Soulé, Rodrigo Mora and Donyell Malen together in attack for Roma's home match against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Roma have been hit by a long run of absences, with Svilar, Gollini, Rensch, Koné, Cristante, Dybala and Pellegrini all missing at least one match across Serie A and the Champions League since the international break at the end of September and beginning of October. The fixture is the ninth game in 27 days for Roma. In midfield, Marten de Roon has stood out, and he is set to start his ninth match in a row tomorrow night. The attack has been the most reshuffled part of the side, but beyond Malen's consistency, Gasperini has been encouraged by the rapid growth of Soulé and the flashes of quality from the young Mora. The trio are starting for the third game in a row in the space of a week. Roma's latest run has been mixed. In Udine, Roma won with a fiery performance at the Bluenergy Stadium, and they had the game wrapped up by the 37th minute before fading after the break. In the first half, Soulé, Mora and Malen dominated. Soulé provided assists for Malen and for a header by N'Dicka, while Mora scored the goal that made it 2-0 after Cristante's pass. Malen, with his eighth league goal of the season, continued his record-breaking form in the Roma shirt. At Old Trafford, the pattern repeated itself in the opening 45 minutes. Mora's fantastic pass set up Soulé for the 1-0, and Soulé then won a penalty that Malen converted for 2-0. At half-time Mora was substituted, Roma dropped deeper, and Manchester United staged a stunning and painful comeback. Sassuolo arrive with the worst defence in Serie A, having conceded 26 goals in 10 matches, including 12 in their last three games, played between Saturday 24 October and Monday 2 November. Mati, Rodrigo and Donyell are ready to shine again against them, with the aim of finishing this part of the season well. The article's author sums up the mood: the appetite comes with eating, and tomorrow night Roma have every condition to serve up a good dish.

Roma must put the sting of their Champions League defeat to Manchester United behind them and refocus on Serie A, when Sassuolo visit the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Sassuolo are coached by Aquilani, a former Roma player, and are in serious difficulty, although they had impressed earlier in the season with their football and individual quality. It is a test that should not be taken lightly for Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Roma have closed the gap on Inter, moving to within one point of them, but they are four points behind league leaders Lazio. Roma remain without Svilar, Dybala and Koné, as well as Rensch and Pellegrini. Sassuolo will be missing Volpato, Koné, Boloca and Leysen. The match is available to watch on Sky and Dazn, with kickoff time and probable line-ups also confirmed in the build-up to the fixture.

Roma are battling a growing injury crisis ahead of Saturday's clash with Sassuolo, with Daniele Rensch's absence joined by doubts over Paulo Dybala and goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. Devyne Rensch has a first-degree adductor tear, the tests revealed, and will not return until the Parma match after the international break. Dybala, who did not train with the rest of the group at Monday's resumption, is heading towards missing tomorrow's game. The squad is stretched thin. Il Messaggero's Daniele Aloisi reports that Gasperini has only sixteen outfield players available, leaving him with very few choices and few decisions to make. Mile Svilar will certainly miss out, and Gollini's involvement is also at risk because of a back problem that persists, though he will try to play to the end with the help of infiltrations. Devis Vásquez is ready to step in, having not played a Serie A match since 25 May 2025. Manu Koné offers some hope. He has carried out individualised work on the pitch and will undergo a fitness test today in an attempt to return to the matchday squad. Mancini did not train yesterday for a planned, routine rest. Malen and Soulé are expected to lead the attack, with Mora pushing for a place to complete the front three. Pisilli is further down the pecking order and is set to operate in the central space alongside Cristante and de Roon. If de Roon starts, he would become the only player to have started each of Roma's last nine matches. On the right, Molina and Lulli are in contention for a spot, while Wesley will play on the left. At the back, N'Dicka is set to return, alongside Mancini or Balerdi and Hermoso.

Roma prepare to host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico with their players running on empty after a gruelling run of European and domestic fixtures. The Giallorossi are about to play their eighth match in just 23 days, an average of one game every three days. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini had warned of the strain after the trip to Old Trafford, saying: "We are on a razor's edge." Prolonged absences of key players including Paulo Dybala, Manu Koné and Pierluigi Gollini have forced Gasperini to rely almost constantly on the same players, asking for one more effort before the international break. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, minutes data confirms the physical toll on the squad's main figures. Marten de Roon leads the outfield players with 673 minutes, ahead of Matías Soulé on 586 and Evan N'Dicka on 554, followed by Niccolò Pisilli, Mario Hermoso, Donyell Malen, Nahuel Molina and Gianluca Mancini. De Roon has been asked to play almost every match in full and showed visible fatigue in the closing stages of the trip to Manchester. The analysis also highlights the defensive impact of Mile Svilar's absence. With Svilar on the pitch, Roma concede 0.66 goals per match, but without him that figure rises to 1.75, with 14 goals conceded in 8 games. Against Sassuolo, Gasperini will ask his players for one final collective sacrifice to close out this punishing spell and recover valuable resources during the break for internationals.

Roma are reportedly back in contact over Real Madrid forward Endrick and Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens as possible January reinforcements, while Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné are still absent from training ahead of Saturday's match against Sassuolo. According to Matteo Moretto, D'Amico continues to talk with the entourage of Endrick, who has been little used by Mourinho. Roma would be ready to take him on loan in January, but the Portuguese coach does not want to let him go. Milan and foreign clubs are also interested in the player. For Gittens, the Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma are targeting a quick attacking winger capable of beating his man, and that the Chelsea player is one of the main objectives. D'Amico is also tracking Leweling of Stuttgart and Kvernadze of Frosinone. The idea is to take advantage of a loan opportunity, without ruling out a move for a midfielder. Dybala and Koné did not appear in the images of Friday's training at Trigoria, and their recovery for Saturday remains difficult. Gasperini is considering starting Mora alongside Soulé, with Malen as the centre-forward. Ndicka is expected to return in defence, while Molina is the favourite on the right after Rensch's injury. Rensch is set to be out for about three weeks with a right adductor injury picked up at Manchester. Gollini is recovering from a back problem and could be available against Sassuolo; if not, Vásquez will continue in goal. Svilar has no chance of returning before the international break. Fabio Capello analysed the collapse at Old Trafford, where Roma dominated the first half before becoming unrecognisable. He pointed to a drop in concentration, fatigue and United's intensity as the main causes. His verdict on the squad is that it is competitive in Italy but still needs completing to face Europe's biggest sides. Elsewhere, Marten de Roon spoke about his arrival in the capital after Gasperini's call. Given his rivalry with Roma during his Atalanta days, he had expected a difficult dressing room, but his first impressions proved those fears wrong. On the sales side, Eintracht Frankfurt are following Sangaré, the young Spanish full-back who has been sold permanently to Elche for €4.5m. Moretto reports that the German club have begun initial contacts with his entourage. Roma retain 20% of any future sell-on fee and could therefore profit from a further transfer. No official offer has been made so far.